SasuHina Revolution Week 2018
by bighoodrat
Summary: In celebration of SasuHina Revolution Week on Tumblr. An unrelated series of one-shots.
1. Irusu

_**Day 1**_

 _ **Irusu**_

Uchiha Sasuke had three locks on his door.

The first one he installed when he first moved into his apartment, for obvious security reasons. The neighborhood was decent enough, for the price range. Not exactly old-money, as he had been accustomed to for so long, but close enough. Arrogant Wall Street bankers. High-profile lawyers. Celebrity plastic surgeons. For a loft near the private academy, he knew rent was going to suck most of his inheritance dry. But he at least expected reasonably updated deadbolts on his door. The upgrade, as it seemed, would come out of his own pocket.

The next installment came six months after, when a carjacking put all of the neighborhood on high alert. Sasuke did not own a car, but cars had windows and his loft certainly had plenty of them. Never mind that he was on the twelfth floor. After he finished the upgrades on the automatic window sliding locks, he decided adding another latch on the front door couldn't hurt.

The last one was installed after he met an annoying blond in school that had a habit of showing up unannounced and making a show of trying to pick the locks. With a reinforced chain, Sasuke could crack open the door, mutter a 'piss off, loser' and slam it shut without giving Naruto an opportunity to elbow his way in.

But, more often than not, Sasuke eventually let him in.

"Man, why do you even need that many locks?" Naruto's muffled scratchy voice demanded from behind the door, irritated by the amount of time it took Sasuke to unbolt all the locks and get the door open. "You know your building comes with a doorman, right? Dude's there 24/7, he doesn't even _sleep_ , Sasuke!"

"They're on six hour shifts, dumbass. Hurry up." Sasuke waited for him to step in before quickly locking up shop again.

"Whatever." Without waiting for an invitation, Naruto hurried to the kitchen. The sounds of cabinet doors being slammed barely registered to Sasuke, who mulled quietly over the question Naruto hadn't been expecting an answer to. "Sasuke, what the hell?!" So he had locks. "You _said_ you would have instant ramen next time I came over!" Everyone had locks. And so what if his building had a doorman and a guard stationed at every floor? "There's no ramen!" That didn't stop people. You could have all the money in the world, the most meticulous bodyguards in the country, a prestigious family name-it didn't stop anyone. It didn't stop thieves, and kidnappers, and rapists. And it certainly didn't stop murderers.

Man, he hated people.

" _Sasuke!"_

He _really_ hated people.

"Sasuke, let's go Ichiraku's."

"No."

"What? You're the one that didn't stock up. Come on, just this once."

"I said no." Sasuke walked away to the living room, now irritated and regretting not turning the blond away. He threw himself down on the couch, reaching for the remote, and turning it on to a mindless reality show. Not a minute passed by before Naruto collapsed besides him.

"Alright, fine, Mr. I'm-a-loser-that's-too-scared-to-step-foot-outside-my-fancy-apartment-with-my-fancy-security-system-and-"

"Shut up."

"Well, you are. You never leave this place, and when you do, it's only to go to school. That's weird." Sasuke didn't bother responding. "You know I don't give a shit, but...people talk. They know you've got this fancy ass apartment, and that you live alone. Kiba says he'd be throwing parties every night if he had his own place. You know, that time you told Sakura off-"

"I didn't tell her off."

"You told her, and I quote, 'Stay the fuck away from me, you goddamn groupie'. Not saying you were _wrong_ or anything, but you coulda been nicer about it. A simple 'no' would have sufficed." Naruto sniffed disapprovingly. Sasuke didn't agree. For some reason, his classmates-particularly the female ones-couldn't wrap their tiny brains around the fact that _no_ , he was not inviting them over. _No_ , they weren't going to hang out. _No_ , being an unsupervised kid with his own place and a virtually unlimited inheritance didn't mean he was going to live out their rebellious teenage fantasies. And Sakura, in her blind infatuation, just couldn't take no for an answer.

Sasuke liked his privacy. He liked his space. He liked being alone.

Might it have something to do with becoming an orphan and the sole survivor of a burglary-turned-homicide at the tender age of twelve? The mandated therapist thought so. Not that Sasuke had seen him in a while.

"Look, all I'm saying is maybe if you just-I dunno, went out every once in a while, they might leave you alone. Just saying."

Sasuke didn't respond.

"Whatever. I'm going to Ichiraku. If you change your mind-" Naruto stood and stretched, yawning and crossing over to the door. "You know where I'm at."

The door slammed after him, and the only thing Sasuke could think to do was get up and lock it after him.

* * *

Sasuke was in the middle of folding his laundry when a series of soft knocks on the door made him pause.

Odd.

The doorbell was most commonly used when he had the occasional solicitor, and since he had it removed when he moved in, they usually were discouraged and went away on their own.

But someone had found it necessary to ring the doorbell _and knock_. Sasuke was baffled. And annoyed. He continued matching his socks.

For two minutes, the knocks persisted. Some stretched to six-tap-sequences, some reduced to heavy-single-knocks. And while there was a pause in between each set, probably for the invader to rest his knuckles, the determination sent him on edge. Sasuke stood from the couch and quietly padded over to the door, socks aiding him in his noiseless glide. Cautiously, he peered through the peephole.

Gone.

* * *

He was doing homework when the knocks came again the next day.

This time, Sasuke felt vengeful. He considered the methods available to him. He could report this to the president of the building's board committee. Better yet, to the manager in charge. He was sure a Google check could reveal to him the name of the building's owner.

Sasuke pulled out his cell phone, ready, when the sound of scraping paper grabbed his attention. Quickly, he looked over to his door and snarled at the sight of a sheet of notebook paper sliding under his door.

He stalked over, swiped it up, and crumpled it without a second thought.

* * *

"Dude, what's with the towel?"

Naruto stared at the green towel bunched under the door, looking back at Sasuke for confirmation.

"It's temporary." Sasuke answered, shining an apple on his shirt. The rubber door weatherseal was already on the way.

* * *

The next day, Naruto was there-again-and was helping himself to a frozen pizza as Sasuke tidied up the kitchen, nerves on high alert.

Three knocks.

Sasuke paused, eyes narrowing.

"I'll get it!"

Before he could stop the idiot, Naruto leapt away. Infuriated, Sasuke almost yelled out to stop him before quickly remembering he was not supposed to be home. Instead, he sprinted to the door, thankful for his socks and smooth hardwood flooring that afforded him squeakless silence. Just as the blond buffoon reached for the first lock. Sasuke arrived and brutally smacked his hand away.

" _Oww-MM!"_ Naruto was stunned as Sasuke slapped a palm over his overused mouth and pulled him back.

" _Shut. Up. Dumbass."_ Sasuke hissed as quietly as he could. The two stared at the door, eyes wide in anticipation, as the knocks continued. Gradually, Sasuke loosened his hold, and Naruto slipped free, glaring at him. Thankfully, he didn't move to answer the door.

" _Who is it?"_ Naruto whispered hoarsely to him. Sasuke shook his head. " _I'm gonna check."_

" _No."_

" _They won't see me, dammit."_

Sasuke watched as Naruto tiptoed over to the door, bracing himself as he leveled with the peephole. A few seconds passed, and Sasuke waited in agony. "Dude," Naruto said lowly. "She's really hot." At this, Sasuke stilled.

 _She?_

"I'm opening the door."

At lightning speed, Sasuke yanked Naruto back by his shirt, and the blond retaliated with a sharp jab of his elbow. The two squabbled as quietly as they could, hair-pulling and arm-yanking with dangerously gritted teeth.

Then, the knocks stopped.

Upon realizing it, Naruto flew back to the door. "Aww, man! You let her get away! Damn you Sasuke, always ruining shit."

"Good." Sasuke snarled, returning to the kitchen in a huff.

"Who was she?"

"I don't know."

"Why didn't you answer the door?"

"Why should I?"

"Well, what if she needs help?"

"She won't find it here."

Naruto was silent after that, but he turned and looked at Sasuke in such a way that made even the impenetrable sullen teenager feel uncomfortable. Naruto excused himself shortly after.

* * *

 _Well, what if she needs help?_

The question bothered Sasuke the day after.

There was the issue of who this mystery woman was.

Another student, perhaps. The knocking, though random, was always timed accordingly after school hours. Or, his paranoia kicked in, a stalker who knew his schedule.

She must live in his building. How else would she constantly get by the doorman? Or, the quiet voice chimed in, she snuck in through the ventilation system. At the thought, Sasuke peered up at the vent in his living room, filtering in crisp cold air. His mind was whirling on possible ventilation-shaft-security-systems when the knock sounded again.

Sasuke stared at the door.

She could be a normal girl that needed to borrow his phone or use his bathroom or something trivial like that.

Or she could be a drug addict, a thoughtless crackhead looking for money or her next fix.

 _In a luxurious apartment building, in one of the wealthiest counties in the country. Yeah. Maybe not._

Sasuke sighed into his hand, pressing the heel against his brow. What the hell was he supposed to do?

The knock sounded louder this time, and it sparked urgency in him. Quickly, he shuffled silently over and decided he needed to take a look.

For a long second, Sasuke watched a supple ass and shapely legs walk away from his door.

"Damn it."

* * *

He decided he wanted to see her.

Not in person, per se, but through the door.

Parked on a stool by the counter, he waited. He didn't know what to expect. Naruto had been approving, but he didn't have much standards. Then again, Sasuke had seen part of her, and those parts had been...convincing.

It seemed unlikely that she was a drug addict. Her jeans, though snug, didn't look frayed or tattered. Her physique clearly wasn't one of a malnourished vagrant.

But that didn't rule out the other possibilities. She could be saleswoman, or worse, a member of the Peace Corps. They were known for being persistent. But this persistent? Knocking every day for five days straight? Didn't they usually get the hint and leave? The very few others one had.

For some reason, she came back. For what, he wanted to know. He regretted disposing of the paper she had slid under his door. It would have solved his dilemma, knowing what she wanted. What it wouldn't answer was her determination to speak with him. He had plenty of neighbors she could bother. Why was she fixated on him?

As if on cue, the mystery woman knocked again.

This time, Sasuke was ready and in position. Quickly, before she could escape again, he leveled himself with the peephole.

There were very few times in his life that Sasuke felt helpless. There was his birth, in which he had very little say, and instances in his childhood where nannies and his mother often held the upper hand. There was the day he had been hidden under the bed by his older brother, amidst the sound of screaming, breaking glass, and a gunshot. _Don't open the door for anyone. I'll come back for you._ Itachi never came back.

Sasuke thought to himself, with a desperation he had never experienced before, that he needed to get this door open. And yet, he couldn't move, he couldn't tear his eye away from the microscopic bead of glass that was his only window to the outside world-to her.

She was beautiful.

With dark hair, tinted purple and blue in the hallway light, and soft gray eyes. Creamy skin. Pink lips that were trying to smile, but twisted into an impatient scowl with every passing knock.

 _Open the door._

 _Open the door, dumbass._

 _Open the door. What are you waiting for? She'll leave._

 _But she'll come back. She always come back._

Sasuke stayed glued against the door, even as she gave up, sighed with her beautiful eyes shut in agitation, and left.

The next time, he decided. Next time, he would open the door.

* * *

Three days passed and Sasuke felt like the biggest fool to ever walk the Earth.

"So, whatever happened to that chick? Did you find out what she wanted?" Naruto asked distractedly, eyes glued to the screen as his thumbs whirled away on the PS4 controller.

Sasuke felt his throat constrict. "No."

"Shame. She was pretty. Looked like a nice girl too. Well, I hope she got what she needed."

Sasuke sighed through his nose. "Yeah. Me too."

* * *

By the fifth day, Sasuke had given up on ever seeing her again. Clearly, she had moved on. Found another target to bother. He was glad.

He had seen it in the news, pretty girls going around luring young men to their doom. If he had opened the door, who knows where he would be now. In some sex-trafficking ring in Thailand, most likely.

It was for the best. He had done the right thing.

And yet, when three knocks sounded at the door, Sasuke was out of his seat before he realized it.

And for the first time, as he quickly set on unlocking his door, he wondered to himself, _why the hell do I have so many locks?_ Finally, he snagged the reinforced chain and yanked it to the side, ripping open the door.

He froze at the sight. And resisted the temptation to slam the door shut.

A girl-and not the one he had been hoping for-peered up at him. He looked her over, noticing the obnoxious uniform. A Girl Scout. Sasuke sighed and started to retreat back inside.

"Wait! Would you like to buy some cookies?" The girl shouted before he could escape. Sasuke paused, his sense of morals coming back to him. She was little. If she cried, someone might get the wrong idea.

"No."

"Are you sure? I have all kinds!"

"No thanks."

"Oh, but-"

" _Hanabi!"_

Sasuke felt an unmistakable rush of heat and did his best to feign indifference. The mystery woman. He knew it was her.

He and the little girl paused, listening as the footsteps echoed closer and closer.

She was even more beautiful in person. Even when she was lugging around a wagon of cookies.

"I told you, _don't_ knock on any doors without me. It's dangerous."

"I know, but I didn't think he'd answer, he hasn't been home all week!"

Sasuke watched as the mystery woman suddenly seemed to remember him. Her skin-that pale, creamy skin-reddened and she quickly looked up at him. He met her eyes and tried to breathe normally.

"Um, hello." She said slowly.

Sasuke blinked. "Hey."

She laughed nervously, and he could tell it wasn't genuine. She was embarrassed. Of what, he couldn't fathom. "She-uh, she just meant that-well, we've been knocking on your door for a few days now, and you never answered so…" Pausing, she took a breath and then let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, I should start over. This is my little sister. She's a Girl Scout. We're selling cookies."

"I...see." Sasuke didn't know what else to say. He knew this. This was _all_ he knew. What he wanted to know was who _she_ was.

"Normally, I go with her to every doorstop. It's not safe for a child to go knocking on just anybody's door. We did try you for a few days, but it was probably bad timing. I did leave her council information, just in case you wanted to use her code online…" She trailed off, looking at him expectantly. Ah, yes. The paper he had balled up and stuffed down the garbage disposal.

"I didn't see it."

"Oh." Silence persisted for the longest six seconds of Sasuke's teenage life, and he hated himself for it. "I see. Well, we won't bother you any longer. Thank you for your time. Let's go, Hanabi." She turned around and the creaking of the wagon wheels prompted urgency. This time, he wouldn't miss it.

"Cookies." Sasuke forced out. The Girl Scout and her beautiful sister paused, looking back at him. "What kind do you have?"

She smiled. It was warm, and comfortable, and he wanted to see it again. "All kinds. Do you have a minute?"

For the next ten minutes, Sasuke dragged on a conversation that shouldn't have lasted more than two. He wanted to know every type of cookie they had. Which was the most popular. How far along was Hanabi with her sales. Was there a prize she was hoping for. Two boxes or three. He couldn't decide. And, what was her name.

Hinata, she told him. Hyuga Hinata.

And ultimately, "I'll probably finish these soon. I have a friend that eats all my food. Will you be back tomorrow?" And he looked at her in a way he hoped she could understand.

She blushed. It was faint, and barely noticeable, especially when she dipped her head down to scribble something in their log. "Oh-um, yes. Yes, we are."

Sasuke felt the beginning of what he would come to know as a sign he'd be waiting for Hinata every day for the rest of his life. To knock on his door, just so he could look forward to answering it.

She knocked on his door approximately eighty-four more times, before he gave her three different keys.

And, as they shopped together for the last lock-for the crib in their bedroom-he wondered how many locks he would have kept buying, if he had never found his key.


	2. Greek Mythology

**_Day 2_**

 ** _Greek Mythology AU_**

Our story begins with the fabled golden apple.

Tossed into a party of vain gods and goddesses, in an effort to cause discord among them, and in turn, the human world of which they presided.

The apple itself was of little importance, lustrous and valuable as it may be. An apple that shone gold was hardly worth the attention of the most powerful beings in the universe. But the inscription-well, the inscription would prove to be the words that damned them all.

* * *

" _For the fairest…"_

* * *

"An apple? The goddesses would have me choose which one should get the apple?" Sasuke, a young man of Troy, stared in disbelief at the deity before him.

"Well, they originally wanted our king Naruto to settle it for them, but...it's a tricky matter. He couldn't decide. As it seems, he decided to appoint a judge. Someone fair, and honest, and, of course, the most youthful of them all." The messenger god, swift of foot, glowing green, responded solemnly. "It can only be you."

Sasuke did not deliberate long. If the gods demanded his judgement, then he shall give it. "Bring them here."

* * *

Sasuke of Troy was many things.

He was talented, and intelligent, and valiant in battle. He was honest. He was admired. He was a lover of the arts, and of women. Of which he had conquered plenty.

Sasuke of Troy was deemed worthy to observe each of the rivaling goddesses, in their divine nudity, and decide who was the fairest of them all to lay claim to the golden apple.

Was it Sakura, the goddess of women and fertility itself? With her feminine rosy pink hair, and jewel-like eyes? She was lean and lithe, a protector of marriage and holy unions. Such a goddess was she, that she was also made the queen of them all. Sakura could be the fairest, Sasuke mused.

Or could it be the alluring strength of Temari, the goddess of warfare? Even in her vulnerable state, she was fearsome. Sharp eyes, and knowing gaze. She inspired wisdom and drove fear into the most valiant of men. And yet, she was a woman. Soft. Feminine. Even with her legendary battle weapon at her side, she was still a divine beauty. But the most beautiful? He turned to the next one.

Perhaps there was no question about it, because the goddess before him was made to enchant men. Ino was beauty incarnate, the goddess of love and pleasure. Romance radiated off her, like a rehearsed lover. Her body, supple and curvaceous, called to him.

And yet, he too could not choose. The goddesses-Sakura, Temari, Ino-all were fair in his eyes, one could not be chosen above the others. And the goddesses, in their cleverness, knew this.

"I could make you _king_ , Sasuke." Sakura called to him, her back turned to him, glancing over her rounded shoulder. "You would rule a continent. You would bow to no one." Sasuke considered this.

"Any king can be overthrown." Temari added lowly, poised with her fan. "I will lead you to victory. You would be a legendary conqueror. Any country would be yours for the taking."

Ino laughed, and like every other part of her, it was lovely. "Kings, and conquerors, and gods, and men-they are all the same. They all only have one desire, and I know what it is." She paused here, staring knowingly at Sasuke. "Give me the apple, and you shall have the heart of the most beautiful woman in the world."

Sasuke of Troy was many things.

He was talented, and intelligent, and valiant in battle. He was honest, and admired, and a lover of the arts and of women. He would have made a great king. He would have made an unmatched conqueror.

But he was still only a man.

And the golden apple went to Ino.

* * *

Hinata of Troy weaved in her spare time.

Of which she had plenty.

Her life was slow, and leisurely. Days passed without count, nights with no rest. Before she was married to the young king Toneri of Troy, she lived a comfortable life with her family. Even as a child, her hand in marriage was coveted by many, her suitors inumerable. It was only after her father devised a competition to choose the most eligible of them all that she finally knew peace. She was married to a kind, doting man, who showered her with gifts and attention.

Yet she still lived in fear. Hinata knew what the world thought of her. Many still lusted after her. She worried constantly of the suitors who had been spurned. Would their vengeance ever ensue?

Setting her loom aside, she stretched out on the large bed, curling up with feather-stuffed pillows. Tonight, she would not be joined by her husband, it seemed. She smiled in relief, and waited for sleep to claim her.

She was instead met with the thunderous boom of an explosive.

Fire, red and hot and angry, flared from behind the felled wall. A man, tall and strong and the most handsome that she had ever laid eyes on, stepped into the debris-ridden room. Her heart galloped in her chest, clutching the sheets to her naked breasts.

"Hinata of Troy," He called out to her, his voice deep and enticing. He was the epitome of beauty, she thought. With his black hair, and ruby tinted dark eyes. Their gazes met and held. "You are mine now."

* * *

Hinata fought back as bravely as she could, but it did not take much for him to yank her from the bed and throw her over his shoulder. All the while, she wept to him. "Please, no! I am the wife of the king of Troy! You cannot have me! Return me at once!"

"You were promised to me." He explained only once. "And I shall have you. Let your husband come for you. This is my divine right."

They escaped in the dead of night, the scent of death and fire poisoning the sky and turning it a dark red. She had never seen such brutality in her life. Mercenaries stormed the castle, holding back the army that vowed to protect her.

And she, the wife of King Toneri of Troy, rode with a strange man on horseback, slender arms wrapped around his strong abdomen.

Even now, as they fled into another country, the promise of a safe home behind them, and the fearsome unknown ahead, Hinata only had one question on her mind. "Who are you?"

The man rode silently and sternly. Hinata peered up at him, wondering if this was a god she was clutching onto. Only a deity could possess this amount of strength and beauty. Only a deity could convince her to give up her entire life and let herself be stolen. Only a deity could make her heart quiver with passion the way it never had before.

"Sasuke." He finally answered, leaning forward as he gripped onto the reins of his stallion.

"Do you come from the heavens? From beyond the mountaintop?" Hinata asked breathlessly. Surely, Olympus was his home.

"I am no more a god than you are a goddess." He answered. "And only a goddess could lead me to you."

Hinata ducked her head, pressing her temple against his strong back. This man…"Why did you come for me?"

"You were promised to me."

"By whom? My husband would never-"

"Your husband is irrelevant. Let him come for me. The goddess Ino is by my side."

"Ino…?"

He did not respond to that, and the two rode off.

* * *

King Toneri of Troy won the hand of Hinata with sheer cunning and expert swordsmanship.

He would retrieve her the same way.

"Sasuke was behind the attack, sire."

"Treason." Toneri spat. "Where did he take her?"

"We tracked his movements North. From there, we found no trace of them."

"He is being shielded." Toneri mused aloud. "But by whom? Who would dare to oppose me?"

HIs questions went unanswered as the generals in the room went silent. War, they knew. This meant war. Death. The end of the peaceful era they enjoyed for so long.

All for Hinata of Troy.

But they would fight. For the disgrace suffered of their king and queen, they would fight armies to bring her back home.

* * *

"We'll stay here for now, until it's safe to come out." Sasuke led her into the small cottage, scouting the area through the dusty windowpane. Hinata dragged herself over to a chair and collapsed in it. They had ran all night. Exhausted, she swept her hair to one shoulder, tenderly rubbing her neck.

Sasuke watched her, pleased. She was truly a prize. In beauty, no one could outclass her. Not with those eyes of pearls, and skin of alabaster. Hair like dark silk. So perfectly formed was she, that he doubted he could ever look at another woman again. He could hardly believe Naruto had not come and stolen her for himself, his lust knew no bounds. Sasuke was pleased, very pleased. So far, she had behaved admirably. Her resistance to him was weak, easily bendable. She could not fight Ino's influence for much longer. All he had to do was wait.

"Here. Eat." A handful of rations was dropped unceremoniously in front of her. Startled, Hinata could only stare, repulsed. Dry crackers. A slimy chunk of aging chicken breast. "I may not have a palace." Sasuke conceded with a smirk. "But soon, that won't matter." Soon, they would marry and she would bear his children. She would never leave his side.

"When can I go home?"

Sasuke slammed his fist onto the table, causing her to jump. "This is your home now." With that, he stormed out of the room. Hinata blinked after him, cautious not to make another sound. As soon as she heard the door slam shut, she picked through the crackers.

* * *

"How long will we be here?"

"I don't know."

"Oh. I see."

"Do you bore easily?"

"It gets...lonely."

"How can I fix that?"

…

"A loom."

"Loom?"

"And thread."

...

"What color?"

* * *

Sasuke bought her several bundles of thread to entertain herself as they waited in hiding.

For hours on end, she weaved.

Four hours on end, he watched.

They had been together for three days now, and he had yet to share her bed. Every evening, dressed in the thin robe that couldn't hope to conceal her figure, Hinata would bid him good night and close the door behind her. Sasuke wasn't bothered by the cold flooring.

What bothered him was her reluctance. She desired him. He knew it. She desired him the way all women desired him. And yet she refused to act on it.

Why, he couldn't fathom. She knew she belonged to him. She knew it was only a matter of time before he did what had to be done. The longer she put him off, the stronger his urge grew.

The goddess of love herself gave him Hinata's heart.

Why it turned cold in his hands, he couldn't understand.

* * *

"What are you weaving?"

Hinata glanced up at him, startled. "Nothing important."

He refused to be ignored. "Who are they?" On the white tapestry, small blocks of color represented what he knew to be people. Unskilled as she was, even he could see that. Hinata was quiet for several seconds, studying her art.

"They were my family." She began. "I haven't seen them in years." He did not ask for details. For the first time, he stared into her eyes, not in admiration, but sympathy.

"My family is dead." Sasuke admitted carelessly. Hinata regarded him, perfect lips drawn to a pout.

"Mine cast me away." She continued. "Bartered me like livestock."

The two sat in silence for several long minutes, in which they both reflected on their pasts.

"And yet," Hinata whispered. "I love them. I long for them. I want to see them again. To go home."

For the rest of the night, Sasuke and Hinata quietly exchanged small memories. He learned Hinata had been kidnapped five times in her life. Even her younger sister, a beauty in her own right, had been taken hostage for Hinata's hand. He learned she had an older brother that had guarded her chastity with his dying breath.

She learned he had been sacrificed by his family and left to die on a mountainside, convinced by a priest's omen that he would be the downfall of his country. He had been rescued by his older brother, whose skill and beauty drew the jealousy of a demigod. He had been killed. And now, Sasuke was alone.

"But not anymore." Sasuke said with a gentle smile, onyx eyes shimmering with an emotion Hinata had never seen before. That was not burning lust in his eyes, she knew. But raw love. The kind of love she had never had.

That night, they lay together, naked and wanting, but unable to do little more but embrace.

* * *

"You're leading him to them!" Ino accused angrily, glaring at the goddesses across from her.

"Now, now!" Naruto stood from the head of the table, lifting his hands in warning. "Can't we all just enjoy our dinn-"

"That mortal should have thought twice before crossing me!" Temari snarled viciously. She would not deny planting the wisdom in King Toneri's head, the hints she whispered in his ear where he would find them.

"And marriage is a sacred bond." Sakura replied calmly, sipping her nectar. "An unfaithful woman is undeserving of my protection." She had fueled the king's jealousy. He had won the rights to Hinata. She belonged to him.

"Sasuke judged fairly." Ino declared harshly.

"You bribed him!"

"As you tried to do!"

"He is only a man, swayed by lust. King Toneri will have his head for stealing his wife."

"You are only inviting war!" Ino shouted. Sasuke's army of mercenaries stood ready to defend them.

Temari glanced at her counterpart across from her, the god of war himself. Madara was eager for the bloodshed. Temari was eager to decide whose it would be. "Do you have faith in Sasuke's army, Ino? King Toneri will be victorious."

"Ino. Return the girl." Naruto demanded, hands clasped together.

"But, my king!" Ino wailed. Naruto silenced her with the crackle of thunder.

"Return Hinata's heart to her. Let her husband take her back. I will not let you destroy Troy for a vanity contest Do as your king commands." With that, Naruto led the gods back into the palace.

Ino remained seated, staring after them. Since the beginning of her life, when she rose out of the ocean as foam and seawater, she had been ridiculed and pegged as little more than an icon of sex. She knew Hinata's story. She knew Hinata's pain.

When she promised Sasuke Hinata's heart, she had done so knowing what he really wanted. That, she gave him easily. Hinata's lusts, her desires, was Sasuke's reward.

Ino believed in love. And she believed that eventually, Hinata would make her own decision of who was worthy of her love.

Was it King Toneri, who had won her hand in all fairness?

Or Sasuke? Who stole her away and waited patiently for her acknowledgment?

Ino did not know.

But she would follow her king.

And with that, she severed her promise to Sasuke.

* * *

War raged for eight months.

King Toneri struck first, attacking the Northern villages said to be housing Sasuke.

They turned up empty, and Toneri's path of destruction continued. They laid waste to the mountains, where Sasuke had survived as a child. By a stroke of luck (or the whisper of a spiteful goddess), Toneri tracked them down. Who would have guessed that Sasuke-the calculated, cold, lustful genius-would be returning Hinata to her family.

The two opposing armies faced each other off in a series of conflicts that proved more deadly than the last. Sasuke had put Hinata and her family into hiding, escaping and dodging every ambush, but always just barely.

Naruto was furious. But this was not the work of a goddess.

This was the love Hinata had chosen.

And Ino would defend that love without fail.

The gods, to Naruto's chagrin, chose sides. Some were drawn to the story of the runaway couple. Others were disgusted by them. Some hated the bloodshed. Others lived for it.

Sasuke defeated King Toneri's master generals, Momoshinki and Kinshiki, arrows slicing through their heels and injuring them for years to come.

King Toneri retaliated by puncturing Sasuke's lungs and throwing him down a ravine.

The bloodiest eight months in Troy's history would not conclude until the day Hinata of Troy surrendered herself.

That day, the goddesses watched and wept at the sight of the strong woman who ended the war by returning to her captor.

She was a caged bird again, as she had spent her entire life, but treasured her memories of those moments of freedom.

When she kissed Sasuke, and he tasted of wine. When she showed him a weaving she made of his brother.

When they made love, looking into each other's eyes, and finding what they were missing in there. What they had never known could be fulfilled in such a way.

Hinata of Troy remembered it all.

The judgement of Sasuke, it seemed, had been right all along.

* * *

 **Based on the stories of Paris and Helen of Troy. Loosely based. I took some liberties. The ending kinda sucks, but then again, this is a Greek tragedy. See you guys tomorrow!**

 **-Gen**


	3. Favorite Cliche & Rivals AU

_**Day 3**_

 _ **Favorite Cliche/Rivals AU**_

His briefcase matched his shoes. And his belt.

She shouldn't pay attention to something so trivial, but her eyes couldn't help but wander. The sleekness of the chestnut was glossy enough to reflect the sunlight streaming in from the windows. Italian leather? Eyes narrowing, she focused on the thin leather belt. The color went well with his dark dress pants. The white collared shirt he tucked in provided a pleasant contrast of color. All in all, it was a handsome ensemble and Hinata admired it greatly. Especially the belt. Where she would find one like it, she couldn't guess. A man of his caliber might have picked it up in Europe.

To make sure she wouldn't forget, Hinata quickly jotted down a reminder to do some online shopping as soon as this board meeting was over.

 _Belt. Italian leather. Cherrywood/chestnut. Matching shoes?_

Tapping her pen against her chin, Hinata zeroed in on the belt once more. If he would simply stop moving, she could get a better look at it. The lights reflecting from the projector didn't help either. Perhaps, when he finished his presentation, Hinata could ask him a few questions.

"Any questions?"

Hinata looked up just as the lights were flicked back on and the projector dimmed down. Uchiha Fugaku, hands behind his back, strolled to the front of the room. His son, Sasuke, opened up his handsome briefcase and loaded his laptop and reports back in. Hinata watched him for a few seconds before turning back to her notepad.

She had forgotten to take notes.

"None. Excellent work, Uchiha-san." Her father, Hyuga Hiashi, said courteously.

"Thank you." He responded in that uninterested, bored tone that they learned he had no control over.

"Hyuga-san," Fugaku took his seat across from her father. Sasuke took his across from her. Their eyes did not meet. "The floor is yours."

Nodding once in affirmation, Hinata stood from her chair, gathering her notes and black leather briefcase. Back straight, face hardened in determination, she crossed to the front of the room, black pointed heels tapping in perfect synchronization.

The lights dimmed. The screen lit up with the first page of the presentation she spent weeks perfecting. "If you would please turn to the first page of your print-outs…"

* * *

Her presentation had gone well.

Father told her so.

Hinata lay lifeless in her office chair, the weight off her shoulders almost coaxing her to sleep. How long had it been since she had a full night's rest?

But it had been worth it. The blood and sweat she poured into this project-into her _baby_ -would help her father's company for years to come. Gentle Step Incorporated, a banking and investment firm, would prosper with her plan. Utilizing two mirror accounts to track stock fluctuations and international trade patterns, investors could feel secure they were making the right decisions. She called it the Twin Lion program.

All in all, her presentation had gone very well. She had even caught Fugaku staring heatedly at the table when she made her excellent point (the one she had planned for and timed to the last millisecond for dramatic effect). And it had worked. The other members of the board were impressed.

But Sasuke had impressed them too.

Hinata grumbled under her breath. Of course he would. Everyone in the banking community knew of Fugaku's "wonder boys". Irritatingly handsome, and nauseatingly polite. You could see the intelligence in their dark eyes.

Not that her father could complain.

Hinata herself was distinguished amongst them. Along with her older cousin, they dominated the-

Suddenly, her head snapped up. The belt.

WIth lightning speed, Hinata rolled her chair over to her desktop, opening up several pages of high-end men's retailers. _Belt, belt, belt. Where are you? No, not that shade. This one was too gaudy. That one...she would have to read the reviews on that one._

Hinata deliberated quietly to herself as the door to her office was thrown open. "Hinata." Her cousin, Neji, stormed in.

Gasping, Hinata dove to the monitors, blocking them from his sight. "W-What are you doing?! I'm in the middle of somethi-"

"Uchiha Sasuke says you were staring at his crotch during the meeting."

Hinata blinked.

"Wha...what?"

"Uchiha _Sasuke_ ," Neji growled. "Says you couldn't take your eyes off his groin the entire meeting."

" _Th-that's ridiculous!"_ Hinata snapped, face flushing red. "I would never- _just who does he think he is?!"_

"My thoughts exactly." Neji continued calmly, drawing up a chair in front of her desk. "God forbid _one_ woman doesn't throw herself at him, he has to make up lies to soothe his ego. Bastard."

Hinata fumed, her temper flaring, body temperature boiling with every passing second, as Neji looked on approvingly. It seemed all those years of lecturing her to grow a backbone had finally paid off; Hyuga Hinata was pissed. "Who told you?"

"I overheard his father. He went by Uncle's office. I just happened to pass by."

Hinata wanted to murder him. "What did father say?!"

"He defended you." Neji said immediately, knowing how badly Hinata sought his approval. "I didn't get to hear much of it, Fugaku closed the door."

Hinata closed her eyes. "First off," She snapped as if she was speaking to Sasuke himself. "I was _not_ staring at him down _there_! Does he really think I would do something like that during a board meeting?! It's inappropriate, it's beneath me, I've hardly ever spoken to him!" She cradled her temple in her hands. "Neji." She said gravely. "Why would he say something like that? The board is still deliberating between our projects. Why would he say that _now?_ "

"He's afraid. It's obvious. We have them now. Those Uchiha dogs know it."

She looked up at him in shock, eyes widening with fear. "You think he wants to get my proposal thrown out?"

Neji crossed his arms over his chest. "What else could he be planning? After your presentation, he must have gotten desperate. I saw your presentation, by the way. Uncle showed me the recording. Impressive job."

Her anger simmered, just the slightest. "Thank you." She replied gruffly. "How did yours go?"

"Itachi has a way with words." He responded with an eye roll. "But facts are facts. My research easily disproves so many of their business tactics."

Hinata nodded in agreement. Silence followed as they each lingered in the aftermath of their board meetings. "What should I do?" She asked sternly.

"Confront him." Neji answered immediately. "I would do it myself, but it means more coming from you. Let's go. He should still be at the suites nearby. He's flying to Tokyo tomorrow, we don't have much time."

* * *

Neji waited in the lobby as Hinata rode the elevator to the twentieth floor.

Arms strapped across her chest, tapping her foot impatiently.

 _Uchiha Sasuke,_ she thought to herself. _Just what are you up to?_

As soon as the gold plated doors opened, Hinata bolted out, rounding the corner and heading straight for Room T7.

 _Do Not Disturb._

Hinata read the words on the card hanging from the doorknob. _Do not disturb? YOU'RE the disturbed one, you swine!_

She lifted her hand to knock, when a thought came to her. These signs...weren't they used when the guest had...company? What if Sasuke was in there with another woman? What if they were in the middle of...that? Hinata couldn't help her blush. Perhaps...another time…

 _No! He leaves tomorrow! You must confront him now, when he least expects it!_

Deciding she didn't give a shit if someone else was in there, Hinata rapped her knuckles against the door.

The faint muffle of Sasuke's voice behind the door came through. "Do not disturb."

Just hearing him fired her up. Quickly, she knocked again. This time, louder.

"I'm _busy._ Come back later."

Hinata pounded against the door.

" _Ocupado. Vuelva mas tarde."_

Hinata scowled. He _would_ be fluent in Spanish. And how _demeaning_ to assume the maid couldn't speak their language.

"It's me." She spoke up. Glaring at the door, she listened carefully for his response. There was none. Hinata was about to knock again when the door opened.

Uchiha Sasuke stared down at her. "Hyuga." His hideous white collared shirt that she admired during the board meeting was open, revealing his toned chest and stomach. Hinata met his stare easily. Neither spoke for a few seconds, until Sasuke leaned back and nudged the door open. "Come in."

"No." Hinata snapped. "Thank you." Her politeness kicked in, to her irritation.

He lifted a dark brow. "I'm finishing something up." She snorted. As if she cared who was waiting in there to be finished off.

"This won't take long." Hinata uncrossed her arms and took a breath, recalling the first line to the speech she and Neji rehearsed in the car ride over. Without a word, Sasuke whirled around and went back into his suite. Flabbergasted, Hinata gaped after him.

"In the kitchen." His calm voice drifted from inside.

She was irritated. She did not want to go inside. But she was going to say her piece and Sasuke was going to listen. She stormed in, closing the door behind her. Cautiously, she walked slowly through the hallway, watchful for any guests.

Sasuke stood at the island, drowning a to-go box full of French fries in ketchup. Paper bags with drawings of burgers and milkshakes stamped all over occupied every inch of counter space.

"Is this a bad time?" Hinata asked reluctantly. She wanted his full attention. "I didn't mean to intrude, especially if you have a guest." In his relaxed presence, the fire that spurned her on earlier dampened.

Sasuke glanced over at her, staring at her pointedly as he sucked a glob of ketchup off his wrist. "Not at all. It's just you and me." The direct eye contact made it even creepier. Hinata averted her eyes.

"Oh. I figured, from the sign-"

"I always hang those." He explained distractedly, taking a loud sip from a foam cup.

Hinata breathed in. She just wanted to get this over with. "Uchiha-san, I was _not_ staring at your penis." The loud slurping stopped, and Sasuke lowered his drink. "The very _idea_ sickens me. I would never do something so inappropriate and disrespectful. And quite frankly, the fact you would accuse me of something so disgusting during such a critical time of _both_ of our lives just tells me how desperate your family must be to challenge mine." There. Hinata breathed evenly, though her heart pounded in her chest, waiting for his response.

Sasuke breathed in deeply through his nose, then braced his hands on the counter. "I never said that."

Hinata didn't believe it for a moment. "Your father-"

"My father." Sasuke scoffed. "My father can be an asshole." He paused briefly. "All he told me was that you were looking at...the front of my pants. He jumped to conclusions."

Hinata grit her teeth. "That's not true."

"That's what he said."

"Well, tell him-"

"How about _you_ tell your father I wasn't ogling you during your presentation?"

"What?!"

"Here." Sasuke tossed her his cell phone. Still glaring and shaking with anger, Hinata fumbled to hold it still as she read the text on the screen.

 _ **DAD**_

 _Hyuga says you were staring at his daughters tits during the meeting_

 _What the fuck sasuke_

 _Keep it in your fucking pants what the fuck are you thinking. That hyuga fucker is gonna use this against us_

 _ **SASUKE**_

 _I didnt do shit. Tell that fucker i have better things to do._

Hinata immediately looked over at him and Sasuke shook his head. "I didn't mean that. I got...heated." He trailed off, looking away. Hinata almost laughed. He wasn't the one banging on the door a few minutes ago. "My dad got angry. Made shit up. I should have stopped him." He continued quietly.

Sasuke ruffled his hair, looking just as exhausted as Hinata felt. They both had long days of meetings. They both just finished their most ambitious proposals. They both delivered fantastic presentations to the members of the board. Sasuke was right. He had better things to do.

Hinata sighed. "Your belt." She said with a chuckle. Sasuke glanced over at her, eyebrow lifted. "I was looking at your belt. Neji's birthday is coming up, I thought it'd be perfect for him."

For the first time since she met him at her seventh birthday party, she heard him laugh. Astonished, she watched him saunter to the couch and drop down on it, shaking his head and chuckling to himself. Cautiously, she approached him.

He looked up at her. "My belt, huh? Makes sense. I sicken you, after all." He smiled and Hinata felt her heart speed up.

Shyly, she gingerly seated herself besides him. "It really is a nice belt." She said with a grin. "My father...I'm sorry. He can be intense." Sasuke shrugged indifferently. "And he should have known better. Clearly, you have much better things to do."

Smirking, Sasuke looked over at her and the two locked eyes.

"Your necklace is beautiful." Sasuke murmured, stare dropping to the thin silver chain around her neck. Hinata also glanced down at it. "But to be honest, I really hadn't noticed."

* * *

" _Where have you been?!"_ Neji screamed into the phone. Hinata flinched, dropping her cell phone, and she fumbled to catch it. Throughout it all, Neji continued screaming. " _I called you fifteen times! I was going to go up there and get you myself! What the hell happened?!"_

Hinata closed her eyes and tilted her head back, walking slowly to the elevator. It took her five minutes to get downstairs and into the parking garage, where Neji was waiting. He was furious. The look on his face…

She almost didn't want to get in. Bracing herself, she opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.

"...with an _Uchiha_ of all people! Let this be a lesson to you, Hinata…" Neji even drove angrily, flipping off anybody that dared to go the speed limit. Sighing, Hinata leaned against the seat, zoning in and out of Nej's lecture. "And what the hell is that?!"

At this, Hinata couldn't help smiling. She bit her lip. "A gift."

Resting across her lap lay an Italian leather belt.

* * *

 **I couldn't choose between those two prompts, so I thought I'd combine them. Who doesn't love business rivals SasuHina? Anyways, my last entry was on the more depressing side so I thought I'd lighten it up. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Also, I am very late to the game, I had no idea SasuHina Revolution Week was going on until Sunday night, so I've been writing a prompt a day as soon as I get back from work and uploading them same night. So, my apologies if it seems rushed or sloppy.**

 **See ya tomorrow!**

 **-Gen.**


	4. Work AU (Continuation of Cliche&Rivals)

_**Day 4**_

 _ **Work AU**_

 **Part II of the Business Rivals AU (refer to Day 3)**

He kissed languidly down her neck. And then bit her.

" _Sasuke!"_ Hinata shrieked, flinching away from him, and rolling over to glare at him.

He looked at her for a few seconds, to trace the reminiscent flush from their earlier...activities, and then rolled over on his back, facing the ceiling, an arm crossed over his bare chest. "Congratulations." Her blush deepened. TImidly, she sat up, pulling the sheets to her chest. "Relax. You worked hard for it. You should be proud."

"I am." She said quietly. "But...it's different now."

"It doesn't have to be."

"But it is."

Sasuke turned and stared at her profile, waiting until she finally looked at him. "We've always been rivals. A month ago, you'd be out celebrating." A month ago, Hinata and Sasuke were too focused on crushing the other to ever bother getting to know each other. A month ago, Hinata and Sasuke were friendly strangers. Then it turned to unfriendly strangers very quickly.

Hinata smiled softly, hooking a long strand of hair behind her ear. "And yet, I'm here with you."

And now they were sleeping together.

Life had never amazed Sasuke before the way it did now.

"Yeah." Was all he could say.

The two were quiet for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Sasuke's bedroom was shrouded in a dim early morning glow. Soon, they'd have to get out of bed, get ready for the day.

He inched closer to her.

But not yet.

"Sasuke," Hinata murmured. "What happens now? To your family, I mean?"

He sighed heavily. "Tch. Don't worry about us. Plenty of other suckers out there to swindle."

A grin touched his lips, knowing she would burst out laughing. "And _that_ ," Hinata turned to face him, inching closer herself. "Is why my family got the contract."

"No one likes a gloat, Hyuga."

"That goes double for sore losers, Uchiha-san."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

Hinata shrieked again as he quickly straddled her, pinning her down, and brushing her hair away from her neck. He leaned in.

"Sasuke…" She said softly. He listened carefully as she continued murmuring his name. Gently, she ran her fingers down his bare back. He hadn't planned for this, but quickly decided he wanted Hinata to pay a little more attention to him.

"You know…" Sasuke whispered. "I worked really hard on my proposal."

"Mm, I know...you did so well." She praised him mindlessly, lost in her lust.

Gently, he nosed the lobe of her ear. "Not well enough."

"Sasuke," Hinata sighed sadly, truly regretful her victories came at a cost.

"It's alright. I know how you can make it up to me."

She stilled under him, looking up with that blush that made him feel like a god. For a split second, his grip on her waist tightened.

Neither were under the illusion that what they were doing was acceptable.

The fact that their families were sworn rivals did little to curb their attraction towards each other. If it had only been that, Sasuke wouldn't have cared one bit. In the short amount of time they had been seeing each other, it surprised him how little he had come to care about anything other than Hinata. That included his father's high expectations.

So what if he was sleeping with the competition's daughter? He liked her. Alot. Admittedly, more than he should.

But Hinata was right. Things were different now.

The Hyuga had come out victorious. Big changes were coming soon, to the company, to the banking community, to the Hyuga family. To Hinata.

He wondered if that change included him.

Without wasting anymore time, Hinata lifted herself up and gently pressed their lips together. Sasuke let himself get lost in it, and pushed those aching thoughts away.

Quickly, he fumbled for the left-hand drawer, desperate to find his stash.

Today, Hinata was still his.

And he'd be damned if he let it go to waste.

* * *

The car ride was quiet.

Hinata looked out the window, hands in her lap. Sasuke drove slowly, taking the long way to work. The plan was to drop her off at the office. He'd go to work. Then, they would meet after.

It was routine.

And yet, it felt different.

He concentrated on his driving.

"Sasuke," Hinata called for him. He glanced over at her. She was still facing the window. "Would you ever tell your father about me?"

"If we agreed on it."

"So...if I told my father about you…" Hinata prompted slowly.

Sasuke felt his chest tighten with the unspoken promise. "Yeah, I'd tell my old man about us. You know I don't give a shit what he says. And no offence, but I couldn't give a damn what Hiashi thinks about us."

She laughed at that. "I know."

"Your cousin, on the other hand…"

"Don't worry." Hinata laughed into her palm. "He hates Itachi more than he hates you."

His mood skyrocketed. "Thank goodness." He replied with a smirk. He'd fight Neji if he had to. But Neji was also a two-time taekwondo nationalist.

Well, fine. If he had to get his ass handed to him, just to prove a point...it'd be worth it.

Too quickly, they arrived at Hinata's office building. Sasuke pulled over, parking down the street, away from onlookers. Hinata, who knew when Sasuke had something to say, stayed in her seat and waited.

Sasuke drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. "That contract is worth millions of dollars."

"I know."

"You're going to be busy." Too busy for him.

"I'll manage."

"I don't want you to push yourself."

"This is what I want."

"Are you sure about that?"

"More than anything."

"It's not going to be easy."

"It never is."

Sasuke paused, irritated at her easy responses. "My family won't stop until they beat yours. You know our fathers. You won this contract, but there will be others. We'll be facing each other again." _And I know how much it hurts you_. _It hurts me too._

Hinata sighed through her nose, eyes closing. "I know. Sasuke, I...I've been thinking about this for a long time. Every day. Every night. I look at you, and I... I feel so happy. And so scared."

Sasuke's throat ached. "Hinata…"

" _And_ ," Hinata added in an uncomfortably loud voice, the kind she did when she was nervous. "And I'm fairly certain I'm falling in love with you." She did not look at him. "That's why...that's why I'm not afraid anymore."

Hinata fell silent, finished with her speech and quietly waited for him to say something.

Sasuke was not an emotional person. Had this been any other woman, any other person, he might have tried to change the subject. Avoid her eyes. Find any excuse to not say anything at all.

"I want to be with you." He said without a trace of hesitation. "For as long as I possibly can. For as long as you want me."

"I'll always want you."

"Then always." He decided easily. Too easily. The realization made him question everything he thought he knew about himself.

Hinata looked at him, eyes shining, perfect lips stretching into a wobbly smile. "Then we'll fight. If you keep being so pessimistic, I'll fight you too, Uchiha-san."

And just like that, they were back to normal. "Call me as soon as you can and I might let you win." Smirking, Hinata leaned in and kissed him soundly.

"I will. I hope your father takes it well."

"I hope yours doesn't put a bounty on me."

"Neji wouldn't need a bounty."

"Get out of my car."

GIggling, Hinata stepped out, ducking her head one more time to meet his eyes. "Bye, Sasuke. Drive safe."

"Work hard today. I'll be coming for you soon."

And maybe, being rivals is what made it all so fun.

Being secret lovers is what made it so dangerous.

But being with each other is what made it all worth it.

* * *

Ten years later, the Hyuga and the Uchiha families shocked the banking industry when they merged companies, creating the first banking firm to be successfully co-led by former business rivals.

It helped that their CEOs were also happily married.

* * *

 **I know, it's short. Sorry guys, I'm getting burned out. I hope I have more inspiration tomorrow. As you all know, tomorrow is the angst/woes AU and this is where I thrive. Please leave me any feedback or ideas, I want tomorrow's to be amazing.**

 **-Gen.**


	5. Angst I

_**Day 5**_

 _ **Angst**_

* * *

 _So close no matter how far_

 _Couldn't be much more from the heart_

 _Forever trusting who we are_

 _And nothing else matters_

* * *

He wouldn't talk to her when they were together. That was probably his first mistake.

It wasn't because he was trying to be an ass. He wasn't. He just didn't want to talk. Not at that moment. Not when there were things he should have told her but didn't want to. Not when she'd look at him with those eyes of hers, like he could do no wrong.

Didn't she know? He was a mistake. Had always been a mistake.

He tipped the glass back and swallowed without tasting, the air around him stale and stuffy. He could smell the beer in the breath of the man besides him. The stench of cheap perfume, mingling with smoke and body odor. He hated people. He hated bars.

But he hated reality more.

He didn't want to think.

He didn't want to remember.

Quickly, he ordered another drink and clutched it in his hand, ready.

A woman's laughter rose above the chatter, and he gripped his glass tightly.

She never laughed like that.

He took a sip.

But she would smile. He remembered her timid grin, the way the corners of her lips would pull up reluctantly. The soft crease of her cheeks. The gentle blush that reminded him how human she was. How breakable she was.

He set the empty glass down and sighed. It wasn't working.

His chair scraped back as he stood, slapped a few coins on the counter, and weaved through the crowd.

The walk home was short. He shrugged off his jacket, tossed it to a chair in the corner, and tucked off his boots at the door. His messy bed was unkempt, sheets strewn wildly, and he crawled in without a thought in his head. Reluctantly, he stared at the space besides him, the side closest to the window, and thought of long dark hair curled on his pillow. The nape of a creamy neck.

He didn't like to talk and she knew that.

But one night, he remembered stirring from sleep, blinking drowsily, and immediately looking over to her, and she was already looking at him. They stared silently at one another, eyes lidded, and heavy, and she asked him quietly if he loved her.

He wished he answered her.

Then maybe she'd still be here.

* * *

 ** _One Year Ago_**

* * *

It was a privilege to be in the black ops.

Kakashi reminded him of that every time he summoned him for a new assignment. "This one will take about two weeks. It'd be good for you too," Kakashi's lone eye dropped to the desk, to the open folder he had been studying, "Gives you a chance to stretch your legs. Here is the map of the daimyo's farmland. The man suspected of poisoning his nephew was last spotted around here."

Uchiha Sasuke watched as the Rokudaime neatly stacked the loose papers together and slipped them back inside the folder. "Naruto. Go ahead."

"Ah-yeah, sure." Uzumaki Naruto mumbled through a yawn, unrolling a fresh scroll and printing a seal on it. As Naruto sealed the folder inside the scroll, Kakashi continued briefing.

"Shouldn't take you too long to find him. A specialist jonin could have done the job easily enough. I figured you would appreciate a mission."

"And what do I do with him?"

"He will stand trial. Bring him back safely."

"Then I'll be on my way." Sasuke swiped the scroll from a mildly annoyed Naruto and pocketed it in the pouch clipped to his backside.

"Just a moment," Kakashi said uninterestedly, sifting through a stack of papers. "We're waiting for someone."

Sasuke felt a dim flicker of irritation. "For who?"

"Your partner."

If he was capable of anger, he would have thrown a fit. But Uchiha Sasuke had the rage beaten out of him three months ago. So he said nothing.

Naruto, on the other hand, had no such qualms. "A partner?! With Sasuke?! Aw man, I feel bad for that sucker!" On the side of the Hokage's desk, a small folding table had been set up with a stool. This was Naruto's station and the reason why the only person in the world that Sasuke could tolerate was not going to be his partner on this mission. "Damn, Kakashi-sensei, who'd you rope into this?"

"Enough, Naruto. There was no roping. She volunteered." And before either of them could react to the impossibility of that statement, she knocked on the door.

Sasuke knew who it was before Kakashi let her in.

Only Hyūga Hinata could knock that timidly while wearing an ANBU mask.

"Hinata?" Naruto's grin dropped, previously joyful blue eyes molting into a dark blue. He stood from his chair, staring rudely, as she walked slowly inside, tucking her mask aside and letting it dangle against her neck. There was no need to hide her identity in here.

Kakashi took his place in his chair. And Hinata took her place by Sasuke.

"Thank you for agreeing on such late notice, Hinata-chan." Kakashi grinned underneath his mask, looking from one to the other. Hinata only nodded in return. "I'll give you a brief idea of what we're up against, and Sasuke can fill you in later while you're on your way." As soon as Kakashi held Hinata's attention, Sasuke glanced once at her from the corner of his eye.

Black fatigues. A sleeveless shirt. Dark body armor, plated from bone. Hair drawn back in a braid, with her usual bangs. She looked well. If not for the tired lines around those famous eyes.

Sasuke looked over to Naruto, who stared at the table, head lowered. He was angry.

In a brief moment of curiosity, Sasuke wondered just how badly their break-up had been.

"Hinata's one of the best scouts around, Sasuke." Kakashi said casually, breaking Sasuke's train of thought "I don't have to remind you that she is your _partner_ in this mission. Listen to what she says. You're lucky I didn't pair you up with Shino, or Kiba. Don't you think so, Hinata?" The way Kakashi tried to ease the tension in the room was pitiful.

Hinata smiled and played along. "Once you get used to them, they're not so bad."

"And the patience of a saint." Kakashi chuckled to himself. "Like I said. Be on your best behavior, Sasuke. You two are dismissed."

And they vanished.

* * *

At least she wasn't slow.

Sasuke had sprinted through the treetops, sure that at some point he would have to stop and wait for her. He hadn't. She had been behind him, a couple paces slower, but keeping up.

Now they needed to stop for the night, refuel and rest. If Sasuke had been alone, he wouldn't have bothered.

But Hinata was not at his level–few people were–and he had agreed to keep her in mind during this mission. So he built the fireplace while she prepared their food for the night.

They had not spoken since they left the tower. She only had a few more questions about the mission, and he had answered by giving her the scroll to read through herself. Looking back, that had been an asshole move. He should have taken the time to speak things through with her.

At this point, it hardly mattered. She was caught up. All they needed to do was finish the mission, return home, and he could wait for the next one.

"Do you like lima beans?"

Sasuke looked over at her. Hinata, kneeling by the other side of the fire, lifted the can in question. The flickering glow of the fire painted her face in different colors than he was used to seeing on her. For a moment, he simply looked at her.

"No."

Nodding, she packed it away in her bag. It seemed she didn't like them either.

Ten minutes later, they both ate quietly. Sasuke didn't know if he cared for lentils. At least the rice was warm. Discreetly, he watched the woman across from him as she took a sip from her canteen. A split-second later she met his eyes. Sasuke dropped his stare, remembering it wasn't easy to spy on a Hyūga.

She cleared her throat. "I hope it doesn't bother you that I accepted this mission."

Sasuke looked into the fire, watching the swirling colors. Normally, he would have said anything passable and then excused himself to keep watch. But the display at the tower piqued his curiosity. "No. Unless you only did it to bother Naruto."

He watched her as he said this, waiting for her reaction. There was none. She kept her gaze to the ground as she packed her utensils away. "I didn't."

Sasuke didn't bother responding. As he watched her now, assembling her pack, he thought back to the last time Naruto had spoken of her to him.

" _I think I'm ending it."_

 _This had surprised him. Sasuke stopped sharpening his blade, and kept quiet, letting Naruto know he was waiting for an explanation._

" _It's just...it's just not the way I thought it would be. She's still quiet. Like she doesn't trust me, or something. I never know if I'm saying something stupid. I never know if I'm being selfish with her. I never know if she really means it when she says she doesn't mind doing the things I wanna do. Anyways, I'm gonna talk to her today. Man. I hope she doesn't cry._

That had been about two weeks ago. They had only dated for less than a month. At the time, Sasuke remembered thinking to himself it was a stupid reason to break up over. Then again, he didn't know her well. And he didn't really care.

They took turns keeping watch and getting rest and set off at dawn.

* * *

On the fourth day of travelling, Hinata asked him to heat up water for her with his fire jutsu. She was in the mood for tea. He had half a mind to refuse, but he wanted tea too.

They sat in a clearing, taking the time to go through the map and mark the distance they had covered. Only a few more days until they reached the Daimyo's palace. As they drank their tea, Hinata rolled up the hem of her pant, showing a bright red gash across her calf. He looked curiously at it. "I actually did this myself. There was a sharp rock in the river." Earlier, they had both separated to wash up.

She pressed her palm against it and Sasuke's interest was once again piqued as it suddenly glowed green. "Sakura-chan taught me." Hinata explained quietly. "Just the basics."

Sakura.

Sasuke closed his eyes.

" _She's taking extra shifts in the hospital." Kakashi said pointedly, standing at the window. Sasuke, laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, wondering if it would be better for everyone if he just disappeared, said nothing. "You should talk to her."_

 _What for?_

 _Because it wasn't the way she expected it would be?_

 _Sasuke never held any illusions of what his life would be like returning to the village. He was in custody for a whole month, his arms and legs restrained, eyes blindfolded with a chakra-reinforced cord. The way criminals were treated._

 _International criminals were normally killed on sight._

 _Sasuke was supposed to consider himself lucky._

"She'll forgive you, Uchiha-san."

Sasuke stiffened, eyes narrowing.

"Maybe it'll take her a while, and maybe she won't ever understand. But she'll forgive you." Hinata flattened a strip of bandage across her leg and secured it.

He was quiet as he considered her words. "Did she tell you that?"

"No. Some things don't need to be said."

"You speak from experience." Sasuke even surprised himself voicing it aloud.

Hinata paused, rolling down the leg of her pants. "When you love someone, you accept every part of them. See them the way you wish they could see themselves. It didn't work out between Naruto-kun and I, but I will always love him and I will always be his friend."

"He can't stand to be around you." Again, he surprised himself with this level of unabashed honesty.

She flinched at that. "I...noticed." They fell silent for a few minutes, packing their things so they could head out. "Uchiha-san. Sakura-chan only wants to help you." Sasuke pulled his mask back on, decidedly officially finished with this conversation. "I told her you didn't need it." Hinata did the same.

For the first time, Hinata took the lead, leaping into a treetop, as Sasuke stared after her.

* * *

The Daimyo's palace was lavish and expensive and everything Sasuke hated.

"Please take this room. Ma'am, follow me." The attendant beckoned Sasuke into his quarters and led Hinata away.

His room was large enough to house a family. Wood-paneled walls. Wide windows. Pieces of art in every corner. In the corner was an armchair and table, ready with tea. The ridiculously oversized bed was overrun with sheets and decorative pillows. Sasuke tossed his ANBU mask on it, along with his pack and weapons pouch.

Just off to the side was a bathroom, the only place he wanted to be in.

As he scrubbed his face clean, Sasuke thought of their schedule. Having arrived so late at night, the Daimyo would not see them. He insisted they stay in his palace, in another wing of course. Tomorrow, he would meet them for breakfast so they could discuss "terms." Whatever that meant.

Sasuke couldn't remember the last time he showered in hot water.

It scalded, burning his pale skin an angry red, and he focused on the needling sting as the water pelted across his back. Steam clouded the bathroom. After a minute, he turned the knob all the way around, and the water ran ice cold against him. Relaxing, shivering, gritting his teeth, Sasuke ignored the shampoos and combed his fingers through his hair, detangling and scrubbing.

This was a waste of time.

Apprehending his target would take him no time at all. There was no point meeting with the Daimyo. If the Daimyo only knew who was under that hawk mask...

He should have been in jail. He should have been dead. By Naruto's hand.

Instead, he was now a guest in the Daimyo's palace.

Sasuke pulled on his fatigues and boots, clipping his pouch on the back-pocket.

Pausing at the open window, he slipped on his mask, then leapt out.

* * *

The man who poisoned the Daimyo's nephew cut through these woodlands as he made his escape. Sasuke, Sharingan flaring to life, specks of red behind the mask, walked soundlessly ahead.

He would capture him, he decided, and dump him in front of the Daimyo. Then he would go back to Konoha. And wait.

Sasuke paused, his Sharingan picking up a familiar cloud of chakra in the distance. It was still. It was alone. It was a torment of emotions, dark with sorrow, heavy with grief. A thunderstorm he had come to associate with anger and hatred and an insatiable, burning, maddening need for vengeance.

Hyūga Hinata had learned how to bottle the thunderstorm long before. Hers was practiced. Resigned. Built on a foundation of purity and suffocated with years of experiences he knew nothing about.

Her chakra flared, and his own stood on edge with the sensation of being watched. He had heard from Naruto the extent of her visual prowess–she could see up to thirty miles in all directions, a record in the Hyūga clan.

It didn't take long to reach her. She hadn't moved since spotting her.

A small creek ran peacefully through the woodlands, undisturbed, hidden by flora.

Hinata sat on the edge, her back to him, mask around her neck. "He drank from here. Slept in those bushes over there." _She's one of the best scouts in the world. Her eyes miss nothing._ "Did you know it was his wedding night?"

Sasuke, who had been tracing the grounds with his own kekkei genkai, looked over at her.

"The Daimyo's nephew. It was his wedding night." Sasuke said nothing so she continued. "It was arranged with a noble woman from another country. When the ceremony ended, the Daimyo's nephew went to his room for tea. It had been laced with a toxin normally found in pesticide. When the attendants found him, another man was with him. He escaped out the window."

Pesticide. Sasuke mulled on that, wondering why it hadn't been mentioned in the Daimyo's request. "Where did you get this information?"

"I looked around." Hinata answered simply. "See there by the fern?"

Sasuke zeroed in on it. "Vomit."

"He drank the tea too. But his body already had a resistance built against the toxins in pesticide. It tried to flush it out on its own before he fell unconscious." Hinata paused, and Sasuke stared at her from behind. Her braid was undone. Hair freshly washed. "Poisons can be tricky. As Sakura-chan could tell you, poisons used in combat are fast-acting. Their properties are harsh and destructive. You can tell by the taste and the smell that it is meant to kill you. Unfortunately, it is always far too late by the time you realize it."

Sasuke thought of the vials of poison in his ANBU gear, labelled for usages. One for combat. One for suicide (though it was discouraged). One for assasination. Those would be clear. Tasteless and undetectable. Perfect for mixing in a drink. Perfect for an unsuspecting victim.

The Daimyo's nephew drank enough pesticide to end his life.

"I suspect they were lovers." Hinata said quietly. Sasuke glanced from her, to the bushes, to the trail the man left behind as he dragged himself out of the woods. A double-suicide that failed.

He thinks of a teacup filled with poison.

He thinks of Itachi and his katana.

Vomit near the fern.

Blood-red eyes dripping tears.

Sasuke lowered near the edge of the water, mindful not to look at his reflection. She didn't acknowledge his proximity, eyes trained ahead, staring at nothing. Her bare feet were dipped inside the creek, boots tucked to the side. "I wonder if he was a gardener." She said quietly.

"It doesn't matter."

"You're right." Hyūga Hinata's thunderstorm blackened for another. Someone she did not know. Someone wanted for murder. "The Daimyo will kill him." Sasuke acknowledged that with silence. The scroll Kakashi and Naruto gave to them was in his pack. There would be no trial, as the Daimyo had said. This was an assassination request, for political gain. The gardener's secrets were too dangerous to be left alive.

"If he's not already dead." Even if the gardener had survived his own poisoning, there were other ways to end his life.

He watched her as she lifted her face and looked up into the sky. There were no stars or clouds out, only darkness.

Sasuke thinks of a teacup filled with poison.

Hinata thinks of Neji's bloody smile and a bird flying free.

"Then we'll find him."

Flying through treetops, masks in place, dōjutsus blaring, two thunderstorms grew calmer.

* * *

In the next town over, a gardener lay lifeless in a dead rosebush.

The ANBU partners Hawk and Owl completed their mission.

* * *

 **Part Two coming soon.**

 **Sorry for being late, I needed a break. I dunno how I feel about the ending, it's a little ambiguous and free for interpretation. My sister and I have different opinions on what happened to the gardener.**

 **Anyways, hope you enjoyed it.**

 **-Gen.**


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